Empathy
by Suiri
Summary: A certain meatball head has been visiting Harry Potter in his dreams, acting as a guardian since his parents death. What happens when it's time to say goodbye?


**AN: First Harry Potter and Sailor Moon x-over. Rewritten slightly, just to fix the little things, like grammer. Though, I'm sure I didn't get them all. Little changes to make the story flow by smoother. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter, so the only thing you can get out of me is the dust bunnies under my bed. Why you would want them is beyond me.**

**

* * *

**

Empathy

**One-shot**

* * *

A soft, pale hand reached across the table and gently placed a black stone next to a white one on the go board. With a deity movement, that same hand reached out and puck the white stone up as a sigh of defeat from the opposing opponent broke the quiet, serene silence.

"I resign," Harry Potter said. The game ended as he declared his loss. He slowly began gathering his peices.

Glancing at his opponent from lowered eyelids, Harry tried not to make his staring seem as obvious as the young women gathered her own pieces. Silently, they placed their respected stones back into the small wooden containers and set the board aside.

"Thank you for the game," bright blue eyes met his emerald ones.

Harry Potter raked a hand through his unkempt hair. "I'm not very good. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You're improving."

"Yeah, but you must be tired of playing me. I'm not much of a challenge," he apologized.

"No, I enjoy our games. You are a bright student, Harry Potter, whether it's in magic or Go."

"For Go, I had a good teacher," Harry flushed. He flushed again as a light trickle of laughter came across the table.

"You're a sweet boy," she reached across the table and ruffled his hair fondly. Settling back in her seat, she placed her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together. She rested her chin on her hands and stared solemnly at him. "It's been months since our last meeting," she remarked. Her eyes studied him. "You told Ron about our meetings."

"He thinks it's…strange," Harry said slowly. "That I've been meeting you in my dreams."

"He thinks that you've conjured me up. Like a fantasy," she mused.

"But I know you're real!" Harry burst out. He leapt from his seat and stared at her in desperation. "You're real, aren't you? You're not some figure of my imagination! I know you're not!"

His emerald eyes locked onto her blue ones and he saw that she was genuinely startled. That brought him a small measure of comfort.

"You're very excited, Harry. Why don't you sit down," she soothingly said. "Of course, I'm real. I've been with you for how long?"

"Since I was little…after my parents died," Harry reluctantly sat back down. "You were the only person I could talk to."

"And I was always there for you," she said. "For every day your aunt, your uncle, or your cousin tormented you, I was there every night to comfort you." The young women reached out a hand for a cup of tea that was conjured onto the middle of the table. "I've been with you for the last twelve years, watching you as you grew." A sip of tea passed her lips before she continued. Her eyes were watery, so she bowed her head so that her bangs hid her eyes. What she told him next might be difficult for him to understand.

"Harry…pretty soon, I don't think we'll able to meet anymore."

"What do you mean?" Harry looked confused.

"I was there for you because you needed me, but you're all grown up. Very soon, you won't need me anymore. You have friends now, ones that you could confide in. People, who you could speak to at any time of the hour, unlike me, who could only speak to you when you're sleepings." She reached out a comforting hand. "I'm not needed anymore, Harry, and very soon we're going to part."

"You're lying," Harry accused as he drew back from her touch. He missed the hurt in her eyes. "You can't leave! I won't let you!"

"Harry!" She gasped. The ground beneath them vanished as the gentle ocean scenery wavered. "Harry!"

She gave one last cry before she too vanished, leaving Harry's heart pounding in his chest as he woke up. Curling into a ball, Harry shivered in the cold draft of the dorm room as Ron's peaceful snoring waffled into the air.

The next night, Harry dreamt the same ocean scenery as the night before. He conjured the pavilion that overset the ocean and the stone table as well as the go board and the pieces and he waited. He didn't wait long before she finally appeared, dressed in her usual white flowing gown, with a warm smile on her face. This time, though, he noticed that her smile was a bit strain as she sat across from him.

"Shall we play?" She asked.

"Hai," he used a bit of Japanese she had taught him and received a please smile in return for his efforts. "Ikimasho."

"Hai," she reached out and placed a black stone on the board.

Pachu…

Pachu…

Pachu…

The sound of the go stones was the only noise beside the gentle waves of the ocean. After an hour, Harry lowered his head. "I resign."

"Thank you for the game," she placed her stones away. "You get better and better."

"Thank you," he replied tonelessly. He messily swiped his stones into the container.

"You're upset with me," she said. "I understand."

Harry turned his eyes and watched as the sun began to dawn. "No, you don't."

"Oh, Harry. I'm going to miss your stubbornness when we meet for the last time," she shook her head.

"There won't be a last time," Harry said. "You're always going to be with me."

"Harry…" she reached out and touched his cheek. " I'm afraid there _is_ going to be a last time. There's nothing you can do to stop it."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. He turned his head and stared into her eyes. He watched as her withdrew her hand with a jerk.

"Harry, what are you doing?" She asked in confusion. She stared in disbelief as a pair of metal chains materialized onto her slender wrist, binding her.

"It's called a dream chain. It's going to keep you here with me, in my dreams."

"You've used a spell on me?" She looked hurt.

"It's a spell wizards used to bind dream apparitions. It was use to keep them at bay," Harry tried to explain.

"Or kept them prisoners," she finished. "Harry, you can't do this! I can't stay in your dreams forever. I have friends who are waiting for me on the other side!"

"But you'll be happier with me, here," Harry insisted. He felt guilty when he saw the tears of frustration lurking in her eyes.

"You still act like you're child," she said. "Maybe you're not as grown up as I thought."

Harry was hurt.

"You'll change your mind," he said as the scenery began to haze. He woke up with a sense of loss in his chest as he got ready for another day.

She was sick. Harry was aware of that as the nights passed. The spell worked well as expected and she was unable to leave his dream world. She would be with him forever for as long as he wanted.

So why wasn't he happy?

He sat across the table, watching as her hand was clutching the embroidery top of her dress. She was taking swallow breaths, her skin having pale very considerable to the point where it was pure white. Her blue eyes were dim as she announced to him what was happening.

"I'm dying, Harry."

It was a simple statement and it cut through his heart.

"My physical body is wasting away because I can not get my spirit back to where it belongs," she pleaded with him with her eyes. "If I don't return soon, my body is going to die. Please, let me go."

Harry turned away. "I can't."

"Harry!" Her body began to rack with sobs. "Please let me go."

"I can't!" He turned and fled back into the real world. When he returned to his dream world the next night, he wordlessly released her from the spell and watched as she vanished, not saying good-bye.

It's been a year since he released her and Harry had understood a bit of the lessons she had tried to instill in him. He realized the value of goodbyes, though hurtful, ultimately made you stronger. She had realized it before him, that he had grown too dependent on her. He had to live his own life and she had to live hers. Though, it didn't stop him from missing her. She was his friend when no one else gave him a chance and she knew all his darkest secrets. She was the type of friend that would give up her life in an instant for him if needed.

Harry wished that he had been half as good of a friend as she was.

So he was sitting there, one year older and wiser, at the stone table that overset the ocean, watching as the sun dawn. The go board was in front of him and the stones were ready, waiting. She hadn't appeared once; not since he almost cost her, her life. He didn't expect her to show up, so it surprised him when she appeared, looking the same. She hadn't age much, though he could see faints wrinkles around her eyes. He watched as she sat in front of him, her hand reaching out to tousle his hair.

"This is my last visit," she gently told him. "I came to say a proper good-bye."

"I'm sorry for what happened," Harry spoke softly.

"What's done is done," she waved a dismissal hand. "You've grown up a lot this year, Harry. I'm very proud of you." She gently lifted his chin up so that he met her eyes. "Half of life is regret. That's something we can't change, but we can learn from them." She picked up a black stone and placed it on the board. "Ikimasho."

Pachu…

Pachu…

Pachu…

The game went on for two hours before a head was lowered in defeat.

"I resign," she sighed. "Damn. When did you get so good?"

"I had a good teacher," Harry smiled.

"Good-bye, Harry Potter," she stood up. She held out a slender hand. Hesitantly, he took her hand and watched as she gave him one final smile before she vanished out of his life forever. He sat there for a long while just glazing out at the ocean. For one startled moment, he thought he saw his parents waving in the distant before he woke up to the sunlight slanting in his face and a rough hand shaking his shoulder.

"Get up, mate! We're late for potions!"

"Gah!"


End file.
